Passover and Feast of Unleavened BreadPassover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are very important to us because they represent the setting free from bondage. In Egypt that bondage was not only the evils of the Egyptians but it was also their pagan worship. The Egyptians worshipped many deities giving each deity power over the different natural occurrences. With each plague Yahweh demonstrated His power above what the Egyptians worshipped. The final plague showed that even Pharaoh was under Yahweh's rule. Pharaoh's own son was killed because Pharaoh wouldn't allow Yahweh's people to go into the wilderness to serve Him. "And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith Yahweh Elohim of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." (Exodus 5:1) As we read through Exodus twelve we find that on the tenth day of Abib the lamb (or goat) was taken into the home. This confuses the whole idea of don't play with your food for a good reason. The lamb was dear to the family perhaps even a pet. As you become closer to a pet you realize that the pet has some human characteristics. The life of the lamb means much more to you because you see its personality. When the fourteenth day comes the lamb is to be killed between the evenings and its blood was to be put on the lintel and the doorposts. Part of the description of between the evenings is here in Exodus 12:6 and also in Exodus 16:12. Exodus 16:12 speaks of the quails that Yahweh gave to Israel to eat. This gives you an idea of what time the quail were on the earth or at least that it was still light. They're many different ideas on what between the evenings means in Exodus 12:6 but from Yahshua's example we find that he was dead at 3:00PM on the 14th of Abib. Yahshua the Messiah had to be taken down and buried in the tomb by sunset because it was a holy day. This is a subject that we will continue with later in this article. In Exodus 12 Yahweh continues saying that the lamb is to be roasted whole. Later in the scriptures we find the entrails were taken out. Yet the animal was roasted whole meaning that the skin, hair, eyes, etc. where not removed. Not a bit of the lamb was to remain until morning. What did remain was to be burnt with fire until it was gone. Yahweh says in verse 11 of Exodus 12 that we are to eat the Passover with our shoes on and fully dressed ready to go. Yahweh knew that as soon as the death angel passed through Egypt the Egyptians would be very afraid. So he had Israel ready to go immediately. In verse 31 and 32 Pharaoh tells Moses to take his people and all their belongings out of Egypt so that they can worship Yahweh. Numbers 33:3 tells us that Israel left on the 15th day of the Month of Abib. In Exodus 12:24-27 Yahweh says that this shall be an observance forever. Yahweh tells us that we are to tell our children the story of Passover and how Yahweh brought His people out of bondage to worship Him. Yahweh allows people of non-Israel lineage to partake of the Passover as long as they were circumcised. (Exodus 12:43-50) Today we are also circumcised of the heart but also baptized into the name of Yahshua. We are not to partake of the Passover unworthily. When speaking of Yahshua it is important to note that in verse 46 of Exodus 12 that no bone was to be broken. We find that Unleavened Bread is to be eaten for seven days. The Unleavened Bread symbolizes the shedding of leaven. In Israel's case it was the wickedness of Egyptian religion. There is almost no way that Israel remained pure from paganism while in Egypt for some 400 years. The construction of the golden calf shows the pagan influence. Yahweh through Moses gave the law once again to Israel. Pentecost is considered by Jewish authorities to be the time when Yahweh gave Israel the law from mount Sinai. Passover There are two different words translated Passover in the Hebrew Scriptures. One means the animal victim and is Strong's number 6453. The other is usually translated "pass over" which means to spring over and is Strong's number 6452. This is important because without this understanding we would tend to lump both meanings together. The fact is that there is a 14th Passover (the sacrifice of the lamb) and 15th pass over. The 14th of Abib is the preparation not only for the animal sacrifice but also the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover is to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Yahweh's people were not able to keep the Feast Unleavened Bread in Egypt because of Egypt's wickedness. This is the reason that Moses originally asked to take the people into the wilderness 3 days journey to have a feast to Yahweh. (Exodus 5:1-3) This relation of Srong's number 6452 and animal sacrifice can be seen in Exodus 12:11. "And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh's passover." (Exodus 12:11) Yahweh's Passover is the animal victim that Israel ate huddled together in small huts the evening of the fourteenth of Abib. Evening The evening of the fourteenth has different meanings to different people. There are two basic theories as to what part of the fourteenth is evening. Some conform to the beginning of the fourteenth and some to the end of the fourteenth. Those who conform to the beginning of the fourteenth state refer to Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, and 31 where it is written evening and the morning and it was the first, second, third, etc. day. The other definition is that it is at the end of the day. The second definition is supported through Leviticus 23:32 where it is written that Atonement is to be kept on the ninth day at even till the next even. Through other scriptures we know that Atonement is to be kept on the 10th of the seventh month. Definitions given by different resources define this as either the time from noon to darkness or the 6th hour of daylight to the end of the12th hour of daylight Biblical time. The Jews during the time of Yahshua were also in disagreement over this issue. The Sadducees and the Pharisees differed in the time that they kept the Passover. The Old Testament proves which theory is correct by giving key words within the scriptures. We find that the wording for "it in the evening" in Exodus 12:6 is "beyn ereb" which are Strong's numbers 996 and 6153 respectively. Beyn means between and ereb means dusk. Exodus 12:6 and Exodus 16:12 are two of the places that "between the two evenings" is used. In both verses it would still have to be light for the Israel to kill the lambs or for Israel to collect the quail. So what time where the lambs and goats killed? We know that they were killed on the fourteenth. That is clear in all the scriptures. The time is either the hour of dusk after the sunset to the time of darkness or it was the time from noon to darkness on the fourteenth. I prefer the later because of the time factor involved here. Israel was to roast the lamb whole. This would take a while but would work with either theory. Some estimate that it would take anywhere from three to six hours. The thing is that they were to eat the meal with their shoes on their feet and their staff in their hand. (Ex. 12:11) This means that they had to be ready to go on a whim. It even says that they were to eat it quickly. Pharaoh rose up that same night and told Moses and Aaron to leave. (Ex. 12:30-24) In verse 34 says that the people took their dough before it was leavened. "And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders." (Exodus 12:34) We find that the night that they left was the night of the 15th in Numbers 33:3. Putting this all together I believe helps us also understand the timing of Yahshua the Messiah's death. The Last Supper Yahshua was impaled after a trial that even the egotistic Roman Pilot was not willing to be part. Yahshua was impaled and died at 3:00-3:30 PM our time or the 9th hour of daylight Biblical time. Yahshua's impalement was not a mistake. If we look at each thing like the casting lots for his garments and none of his bones being broken we find that nothing was by accident. (Psalms 22) Yahshua's last words were from Psalms 22:1. Referring all who saw what took place that day to the prophecy of him. The meal that Yahshua partook of before his sacrifice was not the Passover. This idea that the meal was the Passover is taken from the Roman Church. The Roman Church unaware of what the Passover really consisted of mostly because of their anti-Semitism. If the Roman Church would have been aware that what Yahshua did during the last supper was unlike what Exodus 12 tells us to do. "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) Just before this Yahshua said that he desired to eat the Passover with the disciples. Lets look at this: "And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of Yahweh." (Luke 22:15-16) Yahshua clearly expressed his love of the disciples that he desired to keep the Passover with the disciples but he will not be able to eat it with them until the coming kingdom of Yahweh. Other items that make this line of reasoning evident can be found in a word study of these verses. The word for bread in these verses is leavened bread. The greek word used for bread is artos which is Strong's number 740 and is actually leavened bread. 740. artov artos ar'-tos; from 142; bread (as raised) or a loaf:--(shew-)bread, loaf. The greek word for unleavened bread is azumos. 106. azumov azumos ad'-zoo-mos; from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2219; unleavened, i.e. (figuratively) uncorrupted; (in the neutral plural) specially (by implication) the Passover week:--unleavened (bread). Conclusion When we put all this evidence together we find that Passover is the fourteenth of Abib and Feast of Unleavened Bread is the fifteenth through the twenty-first of Abib. The time of Yahshua's death is significant because at the same time Yahshua dyed the lambs were being slaughtered. Three days later Yahshua arose on the Sabbath. Yahshua lives so that we may also live and have hope. When we keep the Passover lets look for the false doctrine in our lives so that we can shed it. Unleavened Bread is a week of repentance. Yahshua's sacrifice is greater than any animal and has given us the purest High Priest to ever lead us to salvation. Praise Yahweh for his many blessings! The following chart is to help show the timeline of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 
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